


Feeling Safe

by Plumetta



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-31
Updated: 2014-01-31
Packaged: 2018-01-10 15:30:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1161448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Plumetta/pseuds/Plumetta
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haymitch and Effie have to calm down their little girl.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Feeling Safe

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own anything the universe belongs to Suzanne Collins

Effie opened her front door and greeted Peeta. She called to her four year old daughter. “Hailey….Peeta is here to babysit. Mommy and Daddy will be back before bed. Peeta will make you cupcakes.

Haymitch stared at his wife. “Babysit? Where the hell are Mommy and Daddy going?”

Effie rolled her eyes. “I told you we have to go to see the Johnsons.”

“Who are the Johnsons?” Haymitch asked.

Daggers were glowing from Effie’s eyes and Haymitch just sighed and picked up his jacket.

Hailey ran over and attached herself to his leg. “Don’t go Daddy.”

“Daddy has to go.” Effie said firmly. “Both Mommy and Daddy have to go out but we’ll be back very soon and you can have as many cupcakes as you like, if Daddy were to stay….Peeta would go home and wouldn’t be able to bake.

Hailey was torn between cupcakes and Daddy. She chewed her lip giving it careful consideration before she said. “Promise you’ll both be back before bedtime?

Effie kissed her on the forehead. ‘We promise Angel.

Haymitch opened the door and he waited until they were down the walkway when he said. “Where are we really going?”

“Peeta’s house. Katniss is picking up supplies and we need to talk away from little ears.

Haymitch laughed. ‘What did my little Princess do now?”

Effie frowned. “It’s not funny. A few days ago when I was changing her bed I saw bugs on the floor. She had a box of rolls, cookies and fruit underneath her bed.

Haymitch shrugged. “Maybe she’s waking up during the night hungry. I did as a kid.

“You didn’t have enough food. She’s not hungry and if she is…she should eat in the kitchen.

“Fair enough. Tell her she can’t bring food up to her room but she can eat in the kitchen any time day or night.

“I told her that. She said she’s afraid of the The Hunger Games.”

Haymitch froze. “She’s four. How did she even hear about them?

“Older kids at school.”

“I told you she was too young. We should have waited until next year to send her.” Haymitch snapped.

“She’s not too young. She needs to be around kids her own age. You’re very overprotective.”

“Do you blame me? Now we have to deal with this shit.”

“There’s more.” Effie said.

“Oh, joy. What else?

“This morning I found a butter knife on her nightstand. I reminded her that we had talked about not bringing food into her room and she said it wasn’t for food. 

“What was it for?” He asked

She said “Daddy has a knife on his nightstand. She also asked if it was true Daddy won The Hunger Games?”

Oh hell. What did you say?”

I said. Yes, Daddy won the games but I didn’t address the knife. You have to be the one to talk to her.

 

“Effie, just take the knife away and tell her if you see it again, no TV for week.

“Haymitch that won’t make her stop. She’ll just hide it. This rule has to come from you.

We had a deal, you handle discipline until she’s a teenager, then I’ll take over. Trust me you’re getting the better end of the stick.

Effie shook her head. Haymitch, she’s obviously terrified. I know you hate talking about The Games but….you’re the only one who can make her feel safe again. 

“How can I make her feel safe when dredging up any memories just makes me want to drown in a bottle?

Effie sighed. “You can drink yourself unconscious after you talk to Hailey. She’s our baby, she’s frightened and I can‘t help her. I don’t know what else to do.

“Effie, I’m afraid of making it worse.”

“She’ll listen to you. She adores you.

Haymitch laughed. “Oh, and suddenly she hates you?”

“No, but…..you won The Hunger Games. I think she’s trying to impress you.

They walked in the house and Hailey was finishing her third cupcake. She squealed and jumped “Mommy, Daddy, you’re home. 

Peeta came out of the kitchen. “She may have a bit of a sugar rush.”

Effie took her in the yard to burn off some energy. Haymitch and Peeta exchanged looks.

“Did Effie tell you?”

“Not a lot just that she’s heard about the Games and that you were in them.” Peeta said. “What are you going to tell her?”

“As little as possible.” Haymitch said quietly.

Haymitch stayed out of the way while Effie gave Hailey a bath, read her a story. He finally couldn’t avoid it when she called for “Daddy to tuck her in.”

He nodded at Effie who kissed their daughter and slipped out of the room with a quick Good Night.’

“Hailey…..Mommy told me about finding food up here.”

Hailey frowned. “She said I couldn’t do that anymore.”

Haymitch glanced at the floor and stepped on a bug. “So, if I look under your bed I won’t find any food?

Hailey avoided her father’s eyes. It was obvious she was trying to decide which was worse to lose her food or get caught in a lie. She waited several seconds before answering. “Maybe I forgot to show Mommy where one of the boxes was.”

A very smooth half truth. God help him when she was fourteen and had more experience. “Uh huh. Well, I’m going to look under your bed, in your closet, and the toy chest. Any food I find is coming with me.

Her eyes widened, she felt utterly betrayed. “Daddy….Hailey pleaded.

“Hailey, you can’t keep food in your room, it will bring bugs. Mommy told you, now I’m telling you. You won’t be punished for anything I find tonight but you will only eat in the kitchen from now on.

Hailey pouted and turned away from him.

Effie had told him this was her best attention getter. “Hailey Euphemia Abernathy, look at me when I’m talking to you.”

She rolled over instantly at the use of her full name. He softened his tone.

“Sweetheart, tell me. Why are you hiding food?”

“I don’t want to get called for The Hunger Games and not have food.”

Okay, the good news she really didn‘t know what the games were about. He said gently. “The Hunger Games don’t happen anymore. Even when they did happen hiding food wouldn’t help.

“Why not? If you had food you wouldn’t be hungry.”

“The Games took place far away from home. They didn’t let you take any food with you.

“Nothing at all?” Hailey said sadly.

“No. Now….he picked up the butter knife by her bed. “This is a very serious conversation. It is not okay for little girls to have a knife in their room.

“You sleep with a knife.”

“I do and Mommy has been unhappy about it for years. The nightmares would come full force without his knife but he’d have to do without it at least for a couple of weeks until she got distracted. I’m going to put my knife in a box with yours. We don’t need to sleep with knives.

“Daddy, sometimes it gets scary late at night.”

Haymitch nodded and said. “I know Sweetie. Daddy will be right back.” He went into his bedroom and found the doll that Effie bought for Hailey. It was supposed to be a Unification day gift but he’d buy something else before next week.

He went into her room and her eyes lit up at the doll. “Why don’t you try sleeping with her? She’s much nicer than a knife.

“What’s her name?”

“That’s up to you.”

Hailey studied the doll from top to bottom as if the name would appear in the air. She finally decided.

“I’m going to call her Effie Haymitch.”

“Interesting choice.

She glared at him like Effie did so often. “This way it will be like Mommy and Daddy are with me when I’m scared.

“I can’t argue with that. I think it’s a wonderful name.

She snuggled next to her doll while her father found four boxes of food. She had been doing this more than a few days. “Is there anything else Sweetheart? I won’t get mad, I just want to get it all out of here.

“There might be an apple in my nightstand.”

There were three apples. This entire room was going to have to be fumigated for bugs. He put the boxes outside her room went back in and kissed her good night.

“Daddy loves you. You'll be safe here. I promise.’


End file.
